Curious Kid
by shinni.evvk
Summary: One sunny summer day, Death the Kid suddenly realizes he still doesn't know Crona's gender. As he strides to find it out, he soon finds himself having a crush on Crona. Is the feeling reciprocated? KidxCrona. Yes, I know the title sucks.
1. Introduction

Hello hi! Shinni here. How are you? Fine, I hope. This is my first published fic:3 I hope it's not terribly horrible.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Soul Eater or earn money by writing fanfics about it. Believe it!

**Summary: **Death the Kid suddenly realizes that he still doesn't know Crona's gender. He decides to find it out, but soon curiosity mixes with romantic feelings. But does Crona feel the same way about Kid?

Introduction

"Crona, let's go get ice cream!"

Maka dragged her shy friend by the arm to the ice cream parlor. Soul sighed and got up from the bench where they had been sitting, following the two.

"You coming, Kid?" he asked looking from behind his shoulder.

It was hot. The sun was laughing at the people trapped in the heat it made. There had been absolutely no wind at all the entire day. Most likely wouldn't be in the evening either. Kid was sweating like a pig in his black suit. Crona probably wasn't doing much better – he – she – uhh, whichever Crona was, was wearing the same black dress as always. Long sleeves, hem to the ankles, and collar. Poor gi- boy... child.

"I didn't bring any money with me..." Kid answered. Ice cream sure would have been nice... This heat was worse than hell. It had made Kid forget to check his paintings.

Uh-oh. That painting of a circle in the hallway... Hadn't Patty been playing there this morning? What if she had tilted the painting...? No, there was no "if"!That girl was _never_ careful! There was no way she had _not_ tilted it!

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO...!"

With a scream of pure horror Kid ran all the way home, and a sigh of relief escaped his mouth when he saw that the painting was perfectly straight. Rest of Kid's day was spent by checking all the other paintings in the huge mansion and folding toilet paper ends into triangles. It was a magnificent day.

LALALALALALALALALALA

Muhaha, that was the prologue. Don't be afraid, the first actual chapter will be longer.


	2. Please make it clear

I'll explain the basics first: in this story, Crona DOES have a clear gender. It just won't be revealed before the last chapter. And the story is set after the anime, which means no Medusa, Asura or Arachne. Yep, it's really dull and peaceful. No big, evil villains to fight, so people have time for romance and stuff:p  
Hmm, what else? Oh yeah,_ this is thoughts._

Okay, so yeah, if you want to ask something leave a review or PM, I don't really care. And please point out any grammatical errors you see.

Do I have to put a disclaimer in here too? **I don't own Soul Eater. It would be way less awesome if I did.**

**

* * *

**

**Please make it clear**

"Kicchiri kacchiri", Kid said contented. His room was clean and perfect. Finally. Blair and Soul had wrecked it completely yesterday. Blair had decided it would be fun to run in bare naked, resulting in Soul nosebleeding everywhere. Naturally, both had been kicked out immediately. The ever polite Maka had politely followed suit, seeing the state Kid had been in. She had practically carried BlackStar out, the boy beeing as inconsiderate as always and laughing his ass off and going on about surpassing God(as usual). Patty had started laughing and was guided away by her older sister, who had anticipitated a nervous breakdown. In the mess, the undecisive Crona had been left behind. Fidgeting, the girl – boy? - had asked if Kid wanted help with cleaning up. Crona's asymmetrical hair had almost given Kid a heart attack, and judging by the boy's/girl's quick escape it had shown on his face. _That HAIR.  
_It was not clean and perfect. Maka with her perfectly straight pigtails was, Crona imitated her in everything any way so why couldn't she – he? - imitate her hairstyle as well? It should be simple!

Well, hair aside, otherwise he – she? - was nicely symmetrical. Her – or was it his? - dress was symmetrical, his – possibly her? - eyes were the same size(unlike BlackStar's, as Kid had one day noticed, the left was definitely 0.5 millimeters wider), and the rare times when he – she – no, he, smiled, the corners of his – no, HER, mouth were at the same level and distance. And her – his – was it her? Or his?  
"YOUR GENDER! PLEASE MAKE IT CLEAAAAAAAAR!"

* * *

Not knowing Crona's gender, it was very hard to think of the person. Always replacing "he" and "she" with "that person" and "Crona" was tiresome and artificial. Kid would have to find out before he went crazy. He had already folded one toilet paper wrong! At the time he had been thinking about Crona's asymmetrical hair(once again)! Aaagh, it just bugged him! Not knowing a person's gender bugged him!  
Letting his food cool down, Kid was thinking about Crona. What could be deduced of the teen? Crona always used "boku" when referring to him/herself, but almost always wore a dress. Which was not a kilt. And she-he had a pretty girly voice. When compared to male Shibusen students, that was. And a boyish voice when compared to the girls. And Crona was also flatter than any girl Kid had ever seen. Even Maka was left second. A fact that should most likely not be mentioned to the scythe wielder.  
"Patty! Don't take his plate!"  
Kid woke up to reality, which was Patty stealing his fish. With her chop sticks. That had been in her _mouth_. The _**germs**_...  
"Ahahahaha! He went blue!" Patty laughed, food flying from her mouth.  
"Kid! Stay with us! Don't go in to the liiiiiight!"

Dinner had been a disaster. Patty had kept talking with food in her mouth (resulting in fish and rice all over the table, it had taken an hour to clean it) and Liz had been polishing her nails the entire time, the smell had made Kid sick. He had also noticed his chop sticks were of slightly different hues of black. To top it off, neither of the Thompson sisters knew which gender Crona was.  
"Liz, do you know whether Crona is female or male?"  
"You don't know? Kid, you're such a dunce!"  
"Well? Which is it?"  
"Uhhh... Well, umm, you see... It's so obvious, I'm not telling! A – ahaha, ahaha..."  
That face had said something completely different.  
"Patty doesn't know either!"  
"Why do you looks so proud?" Kid had sighed.

It wasn't very polite to ask people which gender they were(Kid was gentleman – when he was on the mood). And Crona would probably say something like "I don't know how to deal with people who don't know my gender..." anyway, and Kid wouldn't get an answer. Maka most likely knew, they were close. They were also rumoured to be something more than friends.  
He didn't know Maka's number, but at this time of day she and Soul would probably be at home. Kid could kill two flies with one strike, as he had a borrowed a book from Maka and needed to return it anyway.  
"Liz! Patty!"  
"Yes?" Liz's voice echoed from somewhere further.  
"I'm going to Maka's! I should be back soon!"  
"Okay!"  
Kid opened the grand doors(symmetrically, of course) and stepped out. The sky was clear and blue and the air was hot, it was truly summer. There was no wind and the air smelled of dust. Women and girls in short skirts and tiny tops strolled around, talking and laughing, and boys in shorts ogled at the girls. Some more conservative and pale people still wore long sleeves, but were obviously hot. Kid was one of them. He did have lighter outfits for summer, but during the winter a moth had made a hole in one of the shirts, so Kid had only seven left. It would have brought bad luck to wear them! He would have to sweat for a while, since his obsession with perfection made making a new shirt hard, since he wanted an equal amount of stitches on each side(it was almost complete, only 50 stitches left!). So now he was wearing a black, long-sleeved turtleneck. Ack, this heat was going to _kill_ him! Well, at least the scantily clad women were nice to look at.  
"I know what you're thinking! Just because I don't watch Liz and Patty doesn't mean I don't watch other girls!"  
He really liked the skinny type.

* * *

Maka and Soul's apartment was in a peaceful neighborhood, on the third floor of an apartment building. It wasn't too spacious, but the two students didn't complain. They fit in fine. Kid knocked on the door and noticed to his delight that the peephole was precisely on the center. Soul opened the door and asked if Kid wanted to eat with them. They were going to play basketball after lunch. "They" meaning not only Maka and Soul, but also BlackStar, Tsubaki and _Crona_. Great, now he couldn't ask Maka the thing he had come here for.  
"I called you, but Patty said you were coming here", Maka told.  
What, Maka knew Kid's number?  
"I see. I had no plans for today, so I will come along. Here's your book."

Kid didn't eat anything, but stayed at the table just to be polite. He was also trying to spy on Crona's eating habits, to see if he got any clues on the teen's gender – he didn't. And he didn't really know what were the differences in female and male eating anyway. Crona noticed his glances and blushed. Soul got Maka chopped for some trivial reason and BlackStar said this food would surpass God along with the great ore-sama. Tsubaki was the only one to eat normally. Crona had become fidgety after blushing. In her – his? - mind she was probably repeating "I don't know how to deal with people looking at me eating". Or maybe "I don't know how to deal with people staring at me". Kid tried to act like there was nothing odd about staring at people when they eat: he actively particitated in the conversation and tried to talk with Crona, too. He smiled, but only got short answers.  
_Only a pure maiden can be this shy_, Kid thought. He watched as Crona munched her rice, it was somehow cute. She was clearly a virgin girl. She was not used to boys looking at her and reacted in a very traditional and attractive way, used by females all over the world. Kid smiled contented: he now knew what to regard Crona as.

* * *

Haha, this chappy really wasn't much longer than the prologue. I'm sure the next one will be. And I also think that Kid is quite OOC. Boys are hard to write.


	3. Trip to the library

Yay it's another chapter! I hope you like it (^-^)b

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Soul Eater. But just wait until I get rich and I'll buy it!

* * *

**Trip to the library**

Kid decided to just tag along and not play at all. He was hot enough just sitting still in his suit, he didn't need to jump and run around. He watched as BlackStar and Soul tried to teach Crona how to play(they had given up on Maka: she just sucked), confusing her with too many advices and rules at the same time. This time the bet was BlackStar having to give up his surpassing-God-speeches for a week and Soul having to compose a hymn for BlackStar praising his bigness. The pair ended up fighting when BlackStar's team won. Tsubaki hovered around the fighting boys like a mother hen while Maka talked with Crona.  
"Having fun?"  
"Liz!"  
"Hiya. I'm done with groceries. I got some free time."  
"Oh, hi Liz. Did you come to play with us?" Maka greeted. Liz shook her head and said that she didn't want to break the nails she had just polished. She always gave the same kind of excuses.  
"I see." Kid looked around. Liz's younger sister was nowhere to be seen – nor heard.  
"Where's Patty?"  
"She met a nice guy in the store."  
"That girl..."  
Patty had grown more interested in boys in recent years. Many kinds of qualities seemed to attract her, but she was picky and lost interest quickly. Liz instead had found a more permanent boyfriend.  
"Are you sure it was wise to leave her alone with a stranger?"  
"You're right... He might be in serious danger..." Liz muttered horrified.  
"Huh?" Maka answered.  
"Hey, guys! I'm going to the library!" Soul yelled annoyed, his hands in his pockets. Judging by the black eye and sour face, he had lost the fight while Kid, Maka and Liz had been talking.  
"In search of a dictionary! To know grand words that will grasp the true being of me!"  
"To know words that he'll think are praise but are actually insults..." Soul muttered to Maka.  
"Behold! The sun will know a day when people will come to me to bask in light that is brighter than a million galaxies!"  
"We'll come too! Right, Crona?"  
A hesitant nod from Crona, and the three left for the library. After thinking for a second Kid followed them. It wasn't like he had plans anyway. Liz came along.

* * *

Crona seemed to be the only one nervous about going to the library in gym clothes. She tried to hide behind Maka (an interesting sight, as the pink haired girl was over ten centimeters taller than the blonde), who just smiled and said it was okay. Liz was checking her hair for split ends with her eyebrows in a frown. Soul complained about his penalty. And Kid was questioning his decision about calling Crona a "she": her hips didn't sway the way it usually did with girls. Next to Maka it was quite obvious that Crona walked stiff. It didn't proove anything though: that redhead from their class also didn't sway her hips. And she was definitely a girl. And then there was that redhead's friend. And _then_ there was that transvestite boy who walked like Liz. Not that it had anything to do with this...

In the library, Liz disappeared to the restroom, Maka went with Soul to the dictionaries and Kid and Crona were left alone in the lobby. She – or could it be he? - looked like she wanted to say something, but lost her confidence and just stayed quiet.  
"Have you been here before?" Kid asked, just to strike up conversation. Kid and Crona weren't really close: just acquintances with mutual friends. They talked every now and then, of course, but there were always other people present. Crona nodded shyly and didn't look at Kid.  
"M-M-Maka comes h-here sometimes..."  
Figures. That girl does nothing but reads.  
"Then, what kind of books do you like?"  
"Ano, books about -"  
Romance? Horses? Perhaps even cook books?  
"- w-weapons... and sci-fi..."  
Weaponry and sci-fi? Well that was surprising.  
"My favorite is the Personality disorder -series..."  
That series was clearly targeted to male audience. Blood, violence, dark themes and sex with very few girls. Crona was so not a pure, innocent virgin girl anymore.  
"Ah." Kid smiled politely. Crona blushed slightly but smiled too. He – Kid was leaning towards he now – apparently didn't have a very refined taste in books. The Personality disorder -series wasn't known for deeper meanings and plot, it concentrated on depressing atmosphere and action.

* * *

... I swear this chapter was longer when I wrote it! Now it's barely 1½ pages!

**AzNx dRiFtEr : **Yeah, it was a fast update:D I've actually finished the whole story already and now I'm just editing the chapters.  
Thanks to everyone who left reviews!:3 I was expecting getting maybe 1:D


	4. Summer, development and annoying girls

Waah, the chapter name was too long!D; I had to shorten it for the chapter navigation!

**Disclaimer:** Me? Own Soul Eater? Best joke ever! Hahahaha!

* * *

**Summer, ice cream, development and annoying girls**

During the week, Kid kept changing his opinion on Crona's gender. He would decide on a pronoun in the morning and change it in the evening. He suddenly and completely unsuspiciously wanted to spend more time with Maka and asked her to take Crona with her wherever they went. Over the course of the week they had been to a café, a movie theater(the movie had been a disappointment, they had left early), the library(twice) and shopping for clothes. Unfortunately the clothes were for Maka, not Crona. Going to the pool would have set the gender question immediately, but Crona couldn't swim and refused to be taught publicly.  
Today was Friday, last class. Kid was, once again, stealing glances at Crona, who occasionally noticed them and smiled while blushing cutely. Maka was listening to the teacher keenly, nodding when she heard something she agreed with, Soul was snoring on his desk and BlackStar was playing hookie. Tsubaki was writing notes and worrying about her partner.  
"And as you can see from page 58, the idea is that energy will flow from place to another when the circumstances are..." the teacher lectured on and on, not noticing that few students were actually listening. Minutes passed on, and the class was full of whispers and quiet laughter. That's Friday afternoon to you.  
"Sh-shinigami-kun", Crona whispered. Kid was startled- Crona had never before started a conversation with him. He turned to look. There was an empty seat between them, as Patty had at some point ventured off and sat down next to some unknown boy.  
"Yes?" Kid asked. The blush on Crona's cheeks got darker and she – today it was she – was looking somewhere behind Kid's back.  
"W-w-we-we-we were t-t-thinking... Basketball, a-after the class..." she stuttered, squirming in her seat and looking everywhere but Kid's eyes. Kid smiled politely and said he would gladly come. Crona was so cute right now. Eyes casted down and blushing. Stereotypical, yes, but Kid liked this particular stereotype. He noticed Maka watching him and Crona with a slight smirk. Kid smiled to her too, not knowing what was so funny, and they both turned back to the teacher. Soul had woken up and was rubbing his eye.  
Class ended ten minutes later.

* * *

Maka collected her books to her bag. Kid hadn't bothered with taking books. Tsubaki had rented a locker from the school so she didn't have bag, she just left her books in the locker. Crona and Maka used the same books, as they always sat next to each other in class. Patty and Liz had a double date. Tsubaki hurried off to her locker, Soul was walking with Maka down the stairs.  
Crona's pen rolled on the table. It stopped two chairs further. Crona tried to reach her pen by half-laying on the table. An innocent position, completely, but it happened to accent and show off her behind. Her nice, round, symmetrical ass.  
"Bhugyu!"  
Kid turned around quickly and hid his nose behind his hand.  
This was his fourth nose bleed ever: the earlier three had been caused by fists.  
"Eeh? Kid-kun?"  
"It's nothing, Crona... I just... hit my nose... on the back of the chair."  
Kid hoped his blush looked like it was caused by embarrassment for being clumsy.  
"Kid! Crona! We're going!"  
"Un."

* * *

This had been one of the few times when Kid took part in the game. He was still hot, but he wanted to get his mind off of Crona's butt. As usual, his punishment for losing would have been tilting every single one of his paintings, but luckily Soul was in his team, and he was bloodthirsty from the last game. BlackStar was forced to clean every bathroom in Shibusen and his friends' houses while singing "I am a humble little man... Just a humble little man...". Crona had been in BlackStar's team. Kid had thanked God(his father?)that Crona's clothes were loose. He hadn't wanted another nose bleed. And still didn't want.  
Now the gang was eating ice cream by a small fountain close to the academy. The nearness of water cooled the air a little and there was a gentle breeze of wind. Everywhere around them were people talking and laughing, sounds of footsteps and bike bells. The rock edge of the fountain was warm. Kid had wanted to sit in the shade, but the others liked the sun. The heat of summer was finally losing its grasp and it was noticeably cooler than last week. That of course didn't mean that it was under 25 degrees celsius.  
"Ouch ouch ouch ouch ouch..."  
"Soul, I told you not to eat too quickly!"  
Crona had taken coffee, Maka mango. Kid couldn't decide so he had taken vanilla, because it was a good, basic flavor.  
"Is it any good?" Kid asked Crona. She jumped and almost dropped her cone.  
"It's something I'm not used to... But I think I like it..." Crona gave a tiny smile and licked her ice cream. Kid couldn't help but stare at the tongue that darted out from her mouth. Feeling a faint blush again, he prayed that no one would see and tried to turn his head.  
He couldn't do it.  
"Kid, what are you looking at?" Maka asked. She had noticed Kid's stare but hopefully didn't realize it was aimed at Crona's tongue. He hoped she thought Kid was admiring the pure, geometrical figure of the ice cream ball. Though it was far from perfect: it didn't even resemble a ball, really.  
"It was... Nothing... I thought there was a bug but there wasn't..."  
"A bug...?"  
"OW OW OW OW OW OW OW!"  
"Soul! Didn't I _just_ say?"  
Whew, close call.

Some girls were sitting on the front stairs of the building across the street, looking at Crona. Crona didn't see them, she was too engulfed in her ice cream and hiding her fiery crimson blush. The girls were giggling, trying to get Crona's attention. One was especially oncoming, she was sitting in a very uncomfortable-looking position that brought out her breasts and hitched her skirt up, showing quite an amount of thigh.  
If girls were trying to flirt with Crona, she must've actually been a _he_. He still didn't notice the girls. Maka noticed and shooed them away from distance. The girls left.

* * *

I don't get it. When I wrote these chapters they felt much longer... o.O

**Lilac Rose6:** Was this fast enough?:D The next chapter should come soon too. And no, it's not a real series, it's a series one of my sims writes8D  
**Cronalust:** There are still many chapters to go. Who knows, maybe Crona really will be a girl!;D


	5. Deal with it

I love my cousin's cat. When you try to pet her she starts biting and scratching like crazy:3 I might be a masochist. But she's so CUTE! I visited her today. And after I came home I was kinda bored so I decided to update.  
Okay, let's talk business.** I don't own Soul Eater**. Le gasp!  
Let's talk some more business. This chapter is in Crona's POV, and I use male pronouns. Why? Because in the previous chapter Kid concluded that Crona is male. It doesn't necessarily mean anything.  
And you guessed right, the title is a reference to the meme.

* * *

**Deal with it**

Crona had noticed. Oh, he had noticed, Shinigami-kun's looks and glances. How he had suddenly started paying attention to Crona, talking and smiling to him, and overall realizing that Crona existed. Crona didn't know how to deal with this sudden interest, he wasn't even sure whether he liked it, and Shinigami-kun's smiles often caused him to blush. It wasn't because he was embarrassed, it was just his way of being confused and control his feelings. It wasn't a very effective way, it was an emergengy method he had developed after Ragnarök had... Ragnarök had... Ragnarök would have told Crona to kill Shinigami-kun. It would have been a simple and effective way to get rid of confusion: when the source was gone, the feeling would have gone away. And along with it his friends.  
He still would have given anything to hear his weapon's advice, even if just to ignore it. He missed his weapon, the feeling of Ragnarök inside his body, his company during the long, black nights when he couldn't sleep. When he'd had Ragnarök, he had never been alone, not even Maka and Soul with their friendship and closeness could be that completely together. Despite the weapon's abuse and cruelty, he had been Crona's sole support and friend for over ten years. He couldn't even think of getting a new weapon. Even if Maka tried to encourage him, he would never resonate with anyone again.

* * *

Crona had slept little this night, too. He tried hard every night to fall asleep, but Shinigami-kun wouldn't let her rest. He kept invading his thoughts. Crona felt uneasy, he couldn't understand Shinigami-kun's sudden interest in him. Only a week earlier he had been a background character, a friend of a friend, just a classmate to him. Now he was the center of the black haired boy's attention.  
"Crona", Maka whispered, leaning slightly toward Crona, but keeping her eyes at the teacher.  
"Kid's looking at you – again."  
Why was he looking? There was nothing to look at in Crona – he was nothing special, he looked just the same as seven days earlier. Why hadn't Shinigami-kun looked at him then?  
Crona turned to look back, to get a hint of what Shinigami-kun was trying to see. He smiled quickly and turned away. Crona's face burned crimson, this was getting weirder and weirder. He continued to look at the boy, baffled and worried. He turned to Maka, wanting to ask for advice. The blonde was sporting a knowing smirk and she chuckled lightly into her fist.  
"What? Is there something on my face?"  
"It's nothing... Tell Kid about that game we were planning on. I'm sure he'll want to come."  
Shinigami-kun didn't usually participate in the games, but more often than not came along to watch.

"Okay class, that's all for today", the teacher said, ending the class. "We'll see after the weekend."  
The students started packing away their stuff. Crona didn't take much time, since he only had a pencil, a marker and an eraser. Maka took care of their books. She had already packed and was going down the stairs. Liz was loitering in the way, so Crona was left behind. He laid his hand on the desk and his pencil slipped from his fingers and rolled a little further. As he reached for it, Shinigami-kun let out an odd noise. Crona turned around and saw him holding a hand over his nose. He said he had hit his nose on one of the chairs. He was blushing.

* * *

Maka and Soul's apartment was in the same direction as Crona's, so they often walked home together. Today Soul had left with BlackStar to the basketball field straight from school, so Maka and Crona walked alone. About halfway to the street where their ways would separate, Maka asked if Crona had noticed how Shinigami-kun was always looking at him nowadays.  
"I have."  
Crona blushed again. It would have been impossible _not_ to notice, even a blind, half-eaten bat facing the other way would have noticed it. It was incomprehensible, only Maka had looked at him as much. And Ragnarök...  
And there was that smirk back on Maka's face.  
"I think _somebody_ has a crush on you..."  
"A crush?"  
"Yeah, it means he likes you."  
"But... Didn't he like me before? I mean, we weren't friends, really, but he forgave me... after... you know."  
Crona still felt uneasy about betraying Shibusen, way back in those days when Medusa-sama had still been alive. At first, Kid (and pretty much everyone else too) had been angry, but they must've understood the power Medusa-sama had had over Crona.  
Maka shook her head, her pigtails swinging with the movement. She smiled undestandingly and explained.  
"No, a crush is a _different_ kind of 'like'. There's liking, what we have, and then there's _liking_. It's... It's like mild 'love'. It's the kind of like that makes you want to kiss the one you like."  
...Kiss? What? Was _that _what Shinigami-kun wanted to do to Crona?  
Crona stopped dead on his tracks. What – this – this was just... _impossible_. Shinigami-kun liking him. _Liking_ Crona, it was just absurd. Even the very idea was so ridiculous and improbable Crona had to laugh out loud. Not because it was funny, it was just so shocking and surprising. What was he supposed to do about it? Was he expected to do something? Was he to joke about it, talk about or stay quiet about it? Should he tell Shinigami-kun what Maka thought he felt towards Crona or not? And how should he tell? Would it make a difference?  
"I-I-I-I don't know how to d-deal with c-c-c-cru-crushes..."  
Maka just laughed and took his hands. She was cheery, but Crona saw nothing fun in this. He was fretting, his heart was racing and his face was redder than a firetruck.  
"Nothing to be worried about. It's nice to know that someone likes you. Especially when you like them back!"  
Crona stayed silent and just looked at the ground, horrified. He couldn't take this, this was too much. Just a minute ago he hadn't known what the word "crush" meant, other than the "destroy" kind, and now he was supposed to like someone liking him? He couldn't. This was too new. He was afraid. He didn't like new things, they confused him, he didn't know how to deal with them. He didn't like being unsure.  
The look in Maka's eyes changed from happy to worried.  
"Crona? Are you alright?"  
Crona took a deep breath and a step forward.  
"This is not good..."  
The two started walking again, both deep in thought.  
"Crona..." Maka said after a while. "You don't like Kid back, do you?"  
"I don't."  
"But you always blush when you talk to him."  
"I'm confused. I don't know how I should feel..."  
"It's completely OK to like someone. For you, too."  
Maka skipped forward with her hands behind her back and cut in front of Crona. She gave him a warm hug.  
"You're not a bad person, you're allowed to have friends and like people. If you like Kid, jump at the chance. You might regret it if you don't."  
They walked in silence, parted ways and gathered later at the game field.

* * *

What _is _it with me and two-page chapters? HUH?  
**-Misguided Star-:** It's always nice to get a new reader:3  
**Lilac Rose6:** Well, it depends on who proposes to who. If it's two guests, I see nothing odd about it.  
And great news for all! The next chapter has _**4**_ pages! Wooooow! Amaaaaaazing!


	6. Think about it

I _knew _I forgot to explain something in the last chapter! Thanks for noticing, Lilac. This is a spoiler for the anime, so if you haven't watched episode 45, you might not want to read this:  
in the fight with Medusa, Crona was practically split in half and he/she bled pretty much, and Ragnarök looked like he died.D; I wanted to make him alive for this fic, but found that I just suck at writing him:p.

As an apology for the messup, I give you a new chapter.  
Also, I'm running out of ideas how to say that** I do not own Soul eater. **

* * *

**Think about it**

The next day Kid did a major cleaning of the mansion. It included his own room, Liz and Patty's rooms, the dining room, the kitchen and the library. Not the bathrooms, because BlackStar had cleaned them the other day (he had done a good job, actually). The cleaning took the whole day, and by evening he was exhausted. He slumped very uncharacteristically on one of the sofas in their drawing room. He took off the handkerchief that was covering his hair and sneezed twice. Patty and Liz had helped, and they were only slightly more energetic.  
"But think! Not a single painting out of shape! And all the candles are the same lenght! It's clean and perfect!"  
"Buoooo..." Liz whined.  
"Clean and perfect..."  
"Perfect" brought in mind Crona's bottom.  
_Oh God, I really need to stop thinking about it...  
_It was too late. The images filled Kid's mind and wouldn't go away. Dozens of Cronas, each of them crouched over something...  
"Why can't you just trust the cleaners? I'm sure their qualified enough..."  
"That's outrageous! Didn't you see how many paintings weren't straight? And I found a _fingerprint on my mirror!_"  
"Kid, that's insane..."  
No, insane was the little film about Crona without any clothes on, his back towards Kid. Him picking up something on the floor...  
"I'm going to sleep!" Kid announced hastily and stormed away.  
"What was that?"  
"Dunno, don't care..."

* * *

Aah, Sunday. No school, no Crona. No cute little blushes, no shy smiles, _no pens rolling out of reach_... Perfect. Today Kid would not step outside his home. He would not answer the phone. He might as well not get out of bed at all. He needed to think. About Crona, of course.  
Kid began the day by thinking about whether he was allowed to crush on a friend. He decided that he was not. Friends were supposed to be friends, other feelings might spoil and ruin the whole relationship. Besides, Crona was so unsure and delicate and, above all, unpredictable that there was no way of knowing how he would react. And if he were to react badly, he would get to feel Maka's rage... There's no playing with the girl who punched out a Kishin. And, he really liked the way things were with Crona. He was a nice friend(albeit distant) once he got out of his shell.

His second thought was that he shouldn't be crushing on Crona anyway, because Crona was male. Neither of them were gay. Probably. Kid didn't really know about Crona. Or actually, himself either. He didn't find the thought of kissing Crona disgusting, though he was sure he was male. And now that he thought about it, there was this one guy at school that Kid could imagine in the same position he had imagined Crona in... But, he also liked girls. It was easier to think of them in... _that_ way than boys. So maybe he was bi?  
Well, that didn't matter, because Crona was, as said before, insecure and only getting used to friends. It would be unfair to him. It would be too much.  
And you know, it wasn't like Kid was having a crush! He had just seen an attractive side to Crona, that was all! Hell, it could have been even _BlackStar_, he would still feel the same. Physical attraction is different from emotional bonds. Kid would get over this. He saw Tsubaki nearly every day – he had gotten used to her humongous breasts ages ago and barely noticed them anymore. Same with Patty and Liz. And it _would_ happen with Crona. He'd just have to see him enough and he would forget that delicious piece of – ahem, let's stop that train of thought.  
...That was it! If he just saw it enough, he would forget about it! He didn't even need to see the real thing, the image was burned crystal clear in his retinas! If he just closed his eyes, he would see it. It was the symmetry, Kid remembered everything beautifully and perfectly symmetric. Buildings, sarcofags, as- peoples's behinds.  
Noooooo, that felt so dirty! You're not supposed to imagine your friends like that! Those kinds of images are reserved to those who you lust over! And Kid was not lusting over Crona, just... liking his ass. It was nothing out of the ordinary. He liked other people's breasts, hips and asses too.

Kid seemed to be in a coma the whole day. When someone asked, he said he was thinking. Sometimes his face got red. At those times he would get up from his bed and go take a cold shower.

* * *

On Monday Kid felt much better. He had come to an agreement with himself: he did not have a crush on Crona, it was just a passing feeling that just happened to have something to do with Crona. He reminded himself: you would feel exactly the same if it was BlackStar.  
"Oi, Kid, we'll be late!"  
"Just this candle!"

After "that candle" there had been "that painting", "that doorhandle" and "that other candle". Kid and the Thompson sisters showed up one hour late.  
"You're late three days from five!" Maka complained. "If you wanted to attend, then at least try to be on time!"  
"M-morning, Kid-kun", Crona greeted, his eyes looking almost in to Kid's.  
_He is just too cute!  
_"Good morning, Crona. Maka."  
"Hmph. Patty, have you memorized the chart?"  
"No!" Patty answered cheerfully.  
"What chart?" Liz asked.  
Crona fidgeted. Soul yawned. BlackStar was talking with Tsubaki rather loud.

* * *

After next class was luch.  
"Crona, what do you have?"  
"Umm, tuna... rice and carrots..."  
"Ugh, change with mine. The cook made something really suspicious. Looks like mushrooms..."  
"I only had time to make an omelet... It's not very much but I guess I'll manage..."  
"Maka, take some of mine, I made plenty..."  
"Patty, how did you manage to mold that into a giraffe?"  
"Oi, Kid. Focus."  
Soul grinned when Kid snapped out of his thoughts. He didn't like that knowing look. Soul had caught him looking at Crona.  
"I was just thinking about how nice he is. He doesn't have that much either and he still shares with Maka."  
"Crona? She's not a girl?"  
Eeeeehh.  
"...Suddenly, I'm not sure."  
Now Kid had to admit to himself that there was more to this than just an ass, had been from the beginning. Crona's personality was in there too. He liked Crona's shyness, he was a sucker for shy girls... She was a loyal and dedicated friend, and so honest that she confessed betraying her friend. Wanting Maka to know the truth about her, Crona had endangered their friendship. But had she left and never told, Maka would have found out from Medusa, sooner or later. That would have been even more dangerous. Crona was a true, loveable and honest person. Despite her upbringing, origin, mother, circumstances and blood she had grown up to be a beautiful person.  
Kid ate his luch in silence, wondering how he was going to survive this.  
Crona smiled when Maka gave her some of her omelette.

* * *

Crona was bad at feelings, since she had never really had a chance to feel most of them. She could handle anger, shame and sorrow, and over the course of the years spent in Death City, she had also learned happiness. But the subtle differences between happiness and joy, like and _like_, and especially friendship and crush she couldn't understand well. It confused her and made her anxious. By Friday evening she was absolutely horrified. She had no idea how to deal with crushes, so her whole face was rootbeet red from 5 p.m to about 3 a.m. She had finally gotten some sleep at about 4, when thoughts of Shinigami-kun had finally left her in peace. She had woken up seven hours and several dreams of her friends and black hair later.

After breakfast she, once again, wondered why Shinigami-kun would have a crush on someone like her. There was just nothing special about her. Aside from the fact that she was the child of the only witch in written history who had managed to get diplomatic immunity from Shibusen.  
Crona decided to call Maka. She might be able to help.  
"Albarn and Evans, who's there?"  
"Umm, it's Crona..."  
"Oh, you're calling early today! What is it?"  
"I... About Shinigami-kun..." Crona wasn't sure of what she should say, so she held a pause.  
"I can understand he likes me, but why would he _like_ me? Is there something that sparks interest?"  
"Oh, Crona..." Maka sighed at the end of the line. Crona heard rustling.  
"You're not a bad person, I've told you a million times. There's not a single reason why someone wouldn't like you. You're sweet and honest, and people like you for that. Don't put yourself down."  
"I didn't mean that... Why do people have crushes? Why just that person? I'm trying to understand Shinigami-kun."  
"Ah, sorry. Well, it can be your personality. Or just some part of it, like, hmm, openness. Or independency. And some like quiet, introverted people, it's just a matter of taste. And you should never underestimate the importance of looks. Beautiful people always have lots of admirerers. But remember that liking someone _only_ on the account of appereance is shallow."  
"I'll remember."  
"But Kid certainly likes you for your personality-"  
_So I'm ugly?  
_"-he's known you for so long that looks aren't important. They matter the most when you don't know much about the other."  
"Okay. I see."  
"Glad to help. Me and Soul are going to the movies later today. Do you want to come along?"  
"I have much to do today, I don't think I could make it... Some other time?"  
"Okay. See you!"  
"Bye."  
Crona set down the phone and slumped down on her couch.  
_Shinigami-kun _has_ known me for a long time... But he hasn't really talked with me, does he really _know_ me?  
_Would the answer to this mystery be solved so easily? It was quite clear that Shinigami-kun didn't know Crona well as a person. So it was obvious that there had to be something about Crona's appereance that Shinigami-kun found appealing. Crona had a big mirror in her bedroom. She checked her face with thought.  
_These eyes... It can't be these.  
_Crona hated her eyes. They were big, yes, and that was _usually_ good. But they were too droopy to be pretty. They looked unnatural, she was like a freak of nature. They looked like someone had distorted her eyes until they were at a freakish angle. And she looked like she was apologizing all the time. Her eyebrows didn't really help: they were tilted like that naturally, like they had gotten stuck from the years' of sad look. She wasn't _trying_ to look sad all the time, not anymore. And the piercing blue color of her irises made the look even worse. Anywhere she looked, it looked like she _stared_; that was why she mostly looked at the ground.  
_I look like a puppy ready to piss its pants.  
_Her whole face was horrible. Medusa-sama had always been right: she would never get her beauty, she had gotten everything from his father. A pathetic fool, who had been practically begging for slavery, Medusa-sama had always said. A useless, weak, stupid, dependant fool. Only once had she talked nicely of him: when she had given her child the dress she still wore. She had told he had made her a similar one a long time before Crona was born.  
If something had drawn Shinigami-kun's attention, it was definitely not her face. Was it her body? Crona looked carefully. No, it couldn't be that either. She was so skinny her limbs were like sticks, she looked like a stick figure all over. If she leaned on one side, the bones on the other side showed. Not sexy. She looked hardly human. She looked hard and pointy, not at all nice to touch. The only round thing on her was her bottom.  
Crona didn't even bother considering her hair to be the reason for Shinigami-kun's interest. He hated everything unsymmetrical, and Crona's hair was a textbook example of disarranged, unbalanced and imperfect. It had evened out a lot in the years, since Ragnarök was no longer there to cut them and rip them out, but they were still a far cry from an even cut.  
Well, at least she had good skin.

* * *

The night between Saturday and Sunday had been restless. Crona had fallen asleep relatively early, but had woken up several times during the night and seen some of the most disturbing dreams of her life. She couldn't remember them clearly, only that at some point Shinigami-kun had pointed Liz at her and the gun had fired mini-sized Patties. Hilarious when heard, but traumatizing when seen.  
Today Crona was going to think. About Shinigami-kun, of course. But not why he was(if he was) interested in her: no, today she was going to find out whether _she_ herself was interested in Shinigami-kun. Maka had said that it was nice to know to be liked, but even nicer when you like them back. So maybe if Crona noticed she liked Shinigami-kun, she might start to like this crush thing.  
First, she tried thinking about his appereance. She nodded when she realized he didn't look bad. Actually, he had gotten quite attractive lately, with his growth spurt and narrower face. There wasn't really a particular feature Crona liked, but his face in entity was nice. Only the golden eyes gave her an uneasy feeling, they reminded her of Medusa-sama.  
He was also nicely slim, not sickeningly like Crona. He made it look good. His shoulders were pretty narrow, but Crona liked that more than the eighties barndoor look. It made the head look ridiculously small. And his movement was graceful and light.  
So, it had been proved that Shinigami-kun was physically attractive. That had been easy: but with his personality Crona had more problems. She wasn't close with him, so she only knew the basics. He was a lover of symmetry and sometimes had nervous breakdowns, during which he would call himself a worthless pig, a gum in the soles of world's shoes, whatever came in his mind. He must have been patient too, Crona had been to his home and seen that everything was perfectly in order. Arranging all those paintings and candles and whatnot, with his personality it must've taken hours. And, well, he was a strong meister. A good meister needs to be decisive and clever. Otherwise the weapon will start rebelling and enemies get the upper hand. A, then there was also the fact that he had been suspicious of his own father, he hadn't blindly believed everything he was told. He had the guts to question his superiors and decide things on his own.  
_...I have just found the appealing factor in Shinigami-kun's personality.  
_Crona herself had always been afraid of authorities. She had always been dependant on someone, first Medusa, then Ragnarök, then Maka. She needed someone to obey, she didn't dare to try to do decisions alone. Medusa had taken care of that.

In the evening, when Crona was going to bed, she had come to a conclusion: she liked Shinigami kun, and she also _liked_ him enough for it to be called a crush. Just as Maka had said, it was a pleasant feeling. There was just one "but" in this business: she now blushed furiously even at the thought of Shinigami-kun. How could she ever say anything to him if even the thought of him made her red to the neck?

* * *

**Lilac Rose6:** Oooh, Kid plushie!*hugs it*  
**Pandagirl808:** Yay, a new reader!:D I hope you'll stick to the end!:) And I like SoulxMaka too! Who doesn't? They're just so... likeable.:)  
**Anonymous:** There are more chapters with Crona's POV, later. And I dunno about KidxCrona, I don't have any more ideas for them:( But I am writing a collection of Mamadusa moments(I dunno who came up with that nickname, but I love it!:D) with Crona in them.

I like to laugh at cats. That's why I like icanhascheezburger and catsthatlooklikehitler.


	7. The small room in the sunshine

I've been feeling really lazy for some time... Or actually whole my life. I _really _should be studying, but instead I'm playing the Sims and writing fanfiction -_-' I am _so _going to fail all my tests and exams. But I guess that's just how I am, I can't help it, just like I can't help not owning Soul Eater.  
Anyway, in this chapter we finally get some romance! And it's been only, what, 6 chapters? I like slow progress.

* * *

**The small room in the sunshine**

On Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday Kid managed not to stare at Crona. He only glanced occasionally. Crona only noticed three times, and blushed two times, but also worse than usually. Kid himself blushed once, when a particularly dirty image came to his mind. Let's just say that it involved much tongue and little clothes.  
"The dance is in a week", Maka reminded. "Start teaching me properly, or I'll never learn this dance!"  
Maka, Soul, BlackStar, Tsubaki, Patty, Liz and Kid were in the schoolg gym. Crona had left home right after school saying she had to make clean her home.  
Soul had promised to teach Maka how to dance so she wouldn't have to be a wallflower in the upcoming Shibusen foundation party. The others worried more about what and how much they would eat.  
"I've gained a little weight lately... I'm worried that I won't fit in my dress..."  
"Ahaha! Sis is chubby, chubby, chubby!" Patty emphasized her line by poking her sisters flat stomach.  
Liz had not gained weight. She looked like she had _lost_ some. The sisters started a playful fight, BlackStar announced that he would be the best dance teacher (despite not knowing how to dance). Tsubaki asked quietly if he would dance with her.  
Kid was in deep thought. He felt like he had forgotten to check the door to his room. For sure there were hundreds of fingerprints on the handle, there just had to be... And he had _touched_ the handle... He might get a lethal disease!  
Liz and Patty were oblivious to Kid's horror. They just watched Soul and Maka dance and laughed at BlackStar when he stepped wrong or on Tsubaki's foot.  
"You know, I'm really worried about my dress... I bought it some weeks ago, and then I fit perfectly, but what if I've gotten too fat? It wasn't that cheap, you know..."  
"You'll fit for sure, Sis! My dress is yellow!"  
"What does that have to with me fitting in my dress..."  
"Yours is green! Usually it's white!"  
"Now that you mentioned it..."  
Tuesday afternoons rarely were this noisy.  
No, Kid had definitely cleaned the handle before he left for school. He would live.

* * *

On Thursday Maka and Soul left on a mission. So did BlackStar and Tsubaki, when BlackStar realized that Soul could perhaps become a Deatch Scythe before Tsubaki, maybe, it was possible. His ego couldn't have taken such a blow.  
"Kid, could you even _try_ to concentrate?" Liz whined. Crona was sitting right next to Kid, causing him to lose the red thread of his thoughts quite frequently. Damn hormones.  
"Sorry, Liz... I'm not feeling that well..."  
"Did you forget to fold the toilet papers again?"  
"That's not it..."  
"Hmm. I hope you're not sick. You're a pain to take care of..."  
"Yeah, your nose drips all the time and all your paper towels have to be folded!"  
"Patty! No need to tell the whole class!"  
"Oops! Sowwy!"  
The teacher threw a book at the trio. They stayed quiet for a while.  
"Ano..." a shy voice next to Kid said.  
"Yes, Crona?" Kid asked politely.  
"I can make chicken soup for you, i-if you'd like... If you're sick..." Crona honestly tried to look Kid in the eye, and didn't fail majorly. She wasn't even blushing much.  
"Thank you, but that won't be necessary. I'm fine", Kid smiled  
"Oh... Okay, then."  
Crona turned back to the teacher and scribbled something in her notebook. Liz had watched the conversation(if you can call it that) with great interest. She watched how Crona's expression turned from shy to – disappointed? She -he? - had actually _wanted_ to make chicken soup for Kid. Tsk, that boy! Kid hadn't even noticed! That was no way to treat a (possible) maiden!  
"Hey, Crona! We heard you got a new apartment."  
Crona jumped in her chair and turned to Liz. Liz's intense stare made Crona blush.  
"Y-yeah... A m-m-m-month ago..."  
"We haven't been there yet, _have we,_ _Kid_? We should come over! Kid likes to check other people's homes,_ don't you, Kid?_"  
"What?"  
Crona smiled and didn't blush at all.  
"I'd be glad", she said. "Only Maka and Soul ever come to my apartment..."  
"Then, righ after school!"  
"EEHH?"  
"_Pleeeeeease_ Crona, we're very busy this week, with the party getting closer and stuff... We don't have that much time today, either, so can we come?"  
"I -I-I guess... I just cleaned yesterday..."  
"Then it's settled!"

* * *

Crona's apartment was in a small and old building whose staircase smelled of garlic. The area was not known for its safety and cleanliness, but Crona didn't seem to mind. For such an ominous neighborhood, the building was surprisingly clean and well cared. There were six other apartments in the building. Crona's apartment was on the second floor. The paint on the door was cracked.  
"I think I saw a rat!" Liz screamed.  
"We called pest control, they should come tomorrow", Crona told apologetically as she opened the door. Liz ran inside, Patty tailing her, giggling.  
The walls were covered with a yellow, flowery wallpaper. It looked ancient. Smelled like it, too.  
"Wow, this isn't half bad!" Liz commented. It was true: though the rooms were small, the windows were clean and had curtains, the living room had a small bookshelf(perfectly organized) and there was not a speck of dirt to be seen. The windows let in surprisingly much light for such small holes. The bedroom door was closed so Kid couldn't see if it was in order, but judging by the livingroom and kitchen, it was.  
"How much do you pay for this?"  
"The rent is cheap, I don't remember the exact sum."  
When the four took their shoes off, Kid noticed Crona didn't wear socks.  
_'Ghh.'_

The "ghh" didn't come from seeing no socks, but from Crona bending over to take the shoes off. There it was again, that ass. Patty and Liz had already ventured off in to the livingroom, looking out the window and admiring the small room.  
"Kid! Come take a look!"  
Kid went.  
"See? The books are alphabetically ordered."  
True. But the best part was that fact and fiction were put separately: fiction on the right side, and fact on the left side of the shelves.  
_ Clean and perfect!  
_This was too perfect: not only was Crona physically attractive, she was also a good person and _organized_. _ORGANIZED_.  
"Check out the couch", Liz said smirking.  
Oh Death God. Four couch pillows. Two on each corner. _Symmetrically_ _ordered_. The bigger red one behind the smaller orange one.  
_ I may have fallen in love!  
_Liz snickered as she watched Kid's face. She saw he was smitten.  
"Umm, I made some tea..."  
"Bring it on!"  
"I only have two chairs in the kitchen..."  
"Ah, so two has to sit on the sofa", Liz said.  
"Me! Me!"  
Kid absolutely wanted to sit on the symmetrical sofa, Liz knew.  
"No, Patty, you'd spill. We'll sit in the kitchen."  
"Ah, okay..."  
Kid noticed the wink Liz gave to him. Patty gave him a thumbs-up. He wondered what they meant.  
Crona gave Kid a cup that was filled with pale-colored tea.  
"It's lemon tea", she smiled.  
"Thank you."  
Crona apparently didn't have any matching cups, as they were all different color and shape. Her own was brown with kanji writing on the side. Maka had given that to her on her birthday last year, Kid remembered. His cup he didn't recognize, it was a simple, white cup with a round handle. It looked like something Kid would buy himself. Liz had pale pink, flowered cup with a more designed handle. Patty's seemed to made of dark blue plastic.

* * *

The tea was cheap and tasted nothing like lemon. It was still good. But better was Crona: the sofa was made for two people(any bigger wouldn't have fit in the room) so they had to sit close to each other. They talked quietly about everyday stuff, such as school and friends. Maka and Soul were supposed to come back tonight, but BlackStar in his egoistical gloating had taken a fairly difficult mission, so they might be back tomorrow or even later.  
"Soul has almost all the souls required, right?" Kid asked. He remembered Soul talking about getting his 80th or something.  
"87, I think... After this mission, they'll only need twelve."  
Liz and Patty both had 107 souls. Seeing as Kid wasn't a normal Shibusen student, they hadn't been made Deatch Scythes. They would be his partners until Kid decided otherwise. He never would, they were too close.  
"And BlackStar has six..."  
_That idiot.  
_"He's going to take up lots of missions... He wants to catch up with Maka and Soul", Crona giggled. The sound was amazing. It was small and timid, fitting Crona's lithe and skinny body. It was simply lovely. Kid had never heard Crona give even a little laugh. He liked the sound and expression that came with it. It was tender, not a bit apologetic.  
Kid smiled too.  
"I like that expression", he said with the nicest and gentlest voice he could manage. It came out soft and quiet, just the way he had wanted. Crona blushed redder than a rootbeet and turned her face away.  
"There's no need to blush", Kid smiled.  
"U-un..."  
There was no change in the blush, but that tiny smile was back on Crona's lips. A cloud revealed the sun behind it, lighting up the sunny room more, and a bird started singing its cheery, chirping song right outside the window. A small gust of cool wind came through a slightly opened window, rattling the curtains, raising goosebumps on their skin.  
Suddenly, there was only that small room with it's people in the world. There were only the smell of tea and the touch of clothes against skin, the warm floor. The soft, symmetrical couch. And Crona, sitting with her skinny thighs and legs pressed together, making a black pool in her lap, looking down at her hands, there was only the sound of her breathing, her thin, sloped eyebrows, there was her black dress and white collar, only her shining hair, only her. Crona's pale skin glowed a glorious white in the bright, hot afternoon sun, a small bead of sweat ran down her delicate chin. Her ice blue eyes slowly turned to Kid and rose to look at him. His chest, his shoulders. Painfully slow, they proceeded upwards from Kid's slender neck to his chin, his cheeks, his golden eyes. Her blush toning down, for the first time ever, she looked Kid straight in the eye. Her asymmetrical bangs dropping down hear forehead, she was a goddess of light and beauty. Her droopy blue eyes were like pale sapphires, they smiled quietly, patiently, not imprisoned Kid, forced him to look in them, see how blue they were, how lovely they were, what they knew and what they didn't understand.

Kid hadn't noticed he had leaned towards Crona. He stopped only ten centimeters from her lips, he could see her every lash, her irises, he could feel her faint, warm breath, he could smell her salty skin. She didn't say anything, just sat there mesmerazing, silently, letting her eyes haze over and close halfway. When her breathing stopped, there was not a single sound. The small room was unnaturally quiet.

The moment was ruined, sunk, wrecked, blown up, when Kid realized Patty wasn't making a sound. That girl was always sqeeking, laughing, talking or moving. Kid quickly backed away from Crona and turned to look over to Liz and Patty. The sisters were looking at them with eager and expecting faces. When Kid saw them, however, they quickly turned away, looking extremely guilty.  
"W-well, Patty, I think it's time to go get the groceries! A-ahaha..." Liz laughed nervously, blushing slightly for getting caught. For once, Patty also acted her age. She didn't start laughing and rolling on the floor, but looked just as guilty as her sister and stayed quiet.  
"O-kay! Let's get going!" Liz yelled a little too innocently and loud, causing Crona to yelp. The sisters got up from their chairs and walked to the door, put on their shoes and ran out.  
"You're not going with them, K-Kid-kun?" Crona asked, her whole face fiery red.  
Kid really wanted to stay, but he figured he could give Crona a heart attack. She looked ready to faint.  
"I need to use the toilet first", he said, trying to sound natural, as if nothing was out of the ordinary.  
"That door", Crona pointed. The door was a simple white, next to the bedroom. Kid went in and splashed his face with cold water. He could feel his cheeks burning. That had been too close. What if he had kissed Crona? He could have wrecked their friendship. He could've made Crona hate him. And what would she have done? Kid looked at himself in the mirror. His reflection looked scared and shocked, but also happy.  
_She leaned toward me. She didn't back away.  
_A wide smile spread to his lips. He had been so close, and Crona had leaned even closer. He had a chance with her.  
...This was her bathroom. Yet there didn't seem to be any tampons or sanitary towels around. Kid checked the cupboard under the sink. Not there either.  
Crona didn't have periods.  
Crona was a boy.  
_ And it doesn't bother me.  
_Kid folded the toilet paper to a triangle before leaving.

* * *

**Cronalust:** Sorry, you had to wait for some time!:D  
**Lilac Rose6:** Yeah, well, let's just pretend that Crona had to get a blood transfusion:D This is fanfiction, not canon;) Now he has regular, red blood. I really wanted to make Ragnarök appear in this story, but when I tried writing him... *shudder* The result was plain _awful_. Horrifying.  
**Tamaka Haru:** Yeah, he could be, and I like the idea. But if I wrote him like that, I'm afraid it would be too much like Wrong (By T'Pau Silver, read it! Good!). It would feel like plagiarizeing.  
**MakenshiCrona:** Apology accepted:3 I usually only review complete stories... orz I'm even worse than you!:D  
**Anonymous:** The origin of "Mamadusa" revealead! Thanks:3  
Hmm, I think that's all for today.


	8. 2 days before the dance

Owwwwww, my poor hand! I just wrote 6 essays complete with drafts and now my hand is KILLING me! Preliminary tests are horrible... Thank God it's Friday and I don't have to do anything tomorrow.  
This may come as a shock, so I recommend that you sit down, but the truth is that **I don't own Soul eater. **

* * *

**Two days before the dance**

After the "livingroom incident", as Kid called it, he and Crona didn't talk to each other for four days. Just looking into Kid's direction made Crona stutter and blush hard, and just thinking about Crona made Kid's heart beat like crazy. It didn't take a rocket scientist to see that something was wrong between them, and soon the whole school was gossipping about them. Some rumors were fairly innocent, such as Kid mistaking Crona for a girl/boy, and Crona being embarrassed about it. The rest, on the other hand...  
"Say, Shinigami-san... You didn't really..._ in the school?_" one girl asked. Kid recognized her as one the girls who had tried to flirt with Crona yesterday. The slutty one. She had gotten a "meep" and an escape for an answer.  
"Did we what in the school?" Kid asked with his coldest voice.  
Luckily the girl took the hint and scurried away. It was only Tuesday, and already the whole school seemed to know something was up between Kid and Crona. Well, a rumor should die out in 75 days, only 73 to go. Kid could always take missions to get away from school, but Crona had it worse: he still, after four years, hadn't found a suitable weapon. Losing Ragnarök had been a relief, but also a huge shock. He couldn't think of having any other partner. Maka had tried encouraging him, and one weapon actually had lasted for some time. Her name had been Mawny or something like that.

He risked failing a course, but Kid left home after the first class. He was tired of the gossip, Liz and Patty's grins, Maka's glares(she had suddenly started giving them yesterday) and seeing Crona. Each time he looked at Crona, he remembered the moment in the boy's livingroom, on the couch... At times he regretted he had let the silence disturb him, at other times he regretted going there in the first place. He was frustrated, he was stressed. He didn't what he should do. Closing the heavy main doors of his home behind him, Kid sighed and rubbed his temples. Maybe in the symmetry of his room he could think.

Having plopped down on his grand bed, Kid wondered if he even _should _do anything about this. He had been happy before, for eighteen years he hadn't needed a girlfriend(or a boyfriend) to keep him happy. Patty, Liz, his father and symmetry had been enough. He wasn't unhappy because he couldn't confess to Crona. He wasn't unhappy at all. He only thought of Crona because he tried so hard not to think about him. If he had something else to think about, say, a hobby for example, it wouldn't be this hard.  
A, that reminded him, his summer shirt was still unfinished.

After finishing his shirt, Kid checked it for any mistakes. He found none, and was content. He changed his black hoodie to the white dress shirt. He wore the same kind of pants year round.  
"Clean and perfect", Kid admired his new shirt.  
Crona was perfect.  
If only he hadn't listened too carefully to the silence! He could be with Crona right now, in that cozy home, instead of being alone in this mansion. He could be kissing him right now... Feeling that skin, smelling his hair... But he didn't know what his hair felt like, he had never touched it... Neither did he know the feel of his skin, only the scent...  
_Crona... Stop being so pervasive. Whatever I think about, it always comes back to you...  
_He couldn't go on like this. Crona interrupted his thoughts in every possible way and time, and every time Kid saw him, he wanted to reach out and touch the thin boy... Hair, arm, back, anything he could reach. He wanted to touch all of him, at the same time, but he also didn't want to touch anything. He knew that if he let in to his want, he wouldn't be able to stop. He was afraid. Afraid of Crona, but even more afraid of himself. He had always thought that he was in charge, his mind commanded his body, and that he could withstand anything, be it physical or mental. He had never even imagined someone could make him feel this confused and insecure. He no longer knew what he might do.  
Kid felt hot. The thought of Crona, his skin, wouldn't leave him alone. He saw himself reaching out to touch his hand, playing with his fingers, then moving up to his face. He saw himself kissing Crona, first gently, then more ferally and Crona answering to the kiss, feverishly, grabbing Kid's shoulders and gasping for air. He saw them both not getting enough of each other, exploring every little nook and cranny, every inch, tasting the other's mouth, he saw all of Crona. He had taken off Crona's dress, he had seen who he was. And Kid loved him.  
It was too much, and yet it was not enough. Kid couldn't stand it. Just seeing wasn't enough, he had to feel. But he couldn't touch Crona, he was not here, and Kid was afraid, so afraid that he might reject him. The confidence he had felt in the other boy's bathroom was long gone and only insecurity was left.

* * *

"What do you think Kid is doing right now?"  
"Probably cleaning. He likes that."  
The others were in class, Patty and BlackStar playing tic tac toe, Maka and Soul paying attention to the teacher, Liz and Tsubaki talking about Kid. It was hard to know what Crona was doing: his face was blank and he wasn't moving at all. He was either braindead or in a coma.  
"And he was acting so weird this morning... Cleaning usually eases him. This thing is really bothering him."  
"I guess that's only natural", Tsubaki thought. "Kid has always been so concentrated on gathering kishin eggs and protecting the world that something this mundane must confuse him."  
"But he's making such a _deal_ about it! I mean, the other day, he was about to kiss Crona, but for some idiotic reason didn't! A kiss is no big deal, it's not worth angsting over for _days_, he'll get another chance."  
"It could be he's scared of getting another chance, Liz. You said he's never had a girlfriend? This kind of thing is new to him. And he doesn't even know if he's falling for a girl or a boy. It would be confusing to you, too."  
"You might have point. But..."  
"But?"  
"Which _is_ Crona? It bugs me!" Liz started ripping her hair, Patty won the tic tac toe.  
"I wonder myself..."  
The teacher ended the class and it was time for lunch.

* * *

Later Maka was trying on her dress at home. She had bought it a year ago and one of the seams had teared up a week ago. Maka had just finished fixing it.  
"We could go to the movies this weekend", Maka suggested, adjusting the collar.  
"There's nothing cool going."  
"We _could_ watch a drama every once in a while."  
Soul lauhged at the very idea.  
"MAKA CHOP!"  
Where Maka got the book while dressing up, no one knew. The dance would be on Friday, two days to go.  
"It wouldn't hurt to be considerate every once in a while, Soul."  
"It wouldn't hurt to cut down the chopping..."  
Maka had become more and more irritable. The situation with Crona and Kid worried her. She knew she was being a tad bit overprotective and what she had heard couldn't be true, but she couldn't help it. Crona was an incredibly vulnerable person and one her best friends, Maka would hate it if something happened to Crona.  
"Soul, pull up the zipper."  
Soul pulled. Maka did a mannequin spin.  
"What do you think?"  
"Love it."  
Maka smiled.  
"Everyone will want to dance with you."  
"Too bad. I'll only dance with you."

* * *

Auggh, ANOTHER 2-page chapter! Is it really impossible for me to write longer chapters?  
**Cronalust:** Yeah, I'm a fast updater. It's because I've already written all the chapters on my computer and now I just edit them before publishing. And if you mean that is this the last chapter, NO, IT'S NOT! YAAAAY! \(^o^)/  
**VaniellaSky:** Now that it's weekend, I think the next chapter will come on Saturday. Tomorrow, yahoo!  
**Lilac Rose6:** Good that it was descriptive:D That's what I was going for. I actually rewrote it about 3 times and then kept adding stupid little details at least 7 times!:D And of course it's not over yet, Crona and Kid aren't together yet!  
**Anonymous:** Yeah, I hate gay angst too. It's so annoying. I mean, I had no trouble admitting myself that I like girls, so I don't get what's the big deal. And I'm glad you like the epic kissing sceneXD It's actually my facorite scene too, if the author is allowed to say that...  
Well then, until next chapter!


	9. Dance at the party

I have finally finished reading The Two Towers! It only took 2 weeks:p I'm so fast. Now I should read Return of the King before I have to return them to the library.  
For some reason the only piece of clothing my cat doesn't like to sleep on is my yukata. She even likes my work pants=rough fabric. Weird cat.  
Anyway, this is the chapter that finally brings the "drama" to the "Romance/Drama". And I'm too lazy to come up with a creative disclaimer to tell that **I do not own Soul Eater.**

* * *

**Dance at the party**

School had been... relatively normal. It meant no fights, zombie attacks or dissecting endangered birds or students. "Normal" would also have meant that everything was as usual: "relatively normal" described the situation better, since two friends were now quite hostile toward each other: Maka and Kid.  
Kid had made a grave mistake when he asked Maka about Crona.  
"Morning Maka."  
"Morning Kid-kun."  
The unusually cold tone and the glares she had been giving him since Monday should have given Kid enough warning, but he failed to care about them.  
"Have you seen Crona? I want to talk with him."  
The distant look that Maka gave to him made Kid understand he might have been better off not talking to the blonde.  
"I think _we_ need to talk."  
"Oi Maka, remember what we talked yesterday?" Soul tried to interrupt.  
"Shut up. _You_ - " she said pointing her index finger at Kid, "- I know what you feel towards Crona. I don't mind, feelings are natural and can't be stopped. _But make Crona cry again_ – and consider yourself dead."  
With a Medusa-like look of contempt and hatred Maka passed Kid and entered the classroom. Soul shrugged his shoulders and sighed.  
"She's just PMSing. You're still friends", he said and went after Maka.  
A PMSing Maka was quite frightening.

* * *

Crona had entered the classroom only a minute before the teacher. He sat down panting next to Maka. He seemed to have run for some time. He had probably overslept and left in a hurry. If only Kid could make him pant like that...  
When Crona noticed Kid sitting further away, he blushed and turned the other way. Maka gave Kid a warning look. What was her problem? He hadn't done anything!  
"Remember what I said about Kid having a crush on you?" Maka asked. Crona nodded shyly.  
"Of course I remember."  
"_I think _somebody_ has a crush on you..."  
_"_I-I-I-I don't know how to deal with c-c-c-cru-crushes..."  
_"_Nothing to be worried about. It's nice to know that someone likes you"_, Maka had smiled.  
"Then... Be careful. People can be dangerous, and unpredictable."  
"Okay..."  
Maka smiled brightly.  
They were at Maka's place, putting on their dresses and suits. The Shibusen Foundation party was starting in half an hour.  
"But you said... that I should 'go for it'. That I might regret it if I let him go and the chance slip."  
"Pull up my zipper, please? Thanks. I know what I said... But us girls have to careful. Because we're usually weaker than boys, they can sometimes... force us to do something, or hurt us. If you ever meet a man like that, you now he's not a good man."  
Maka looked Crona in the eye to make clear that this was an important conversation. She took Cronas hand and held it gently.  
"And if a bad man ever tries to do something to you... just run. Hit him and run. You're allowed to do that."  
"Maka..."  
"I worry for you. I just hope what I heard wasn't true."  
"What you heard?"  
"Some girls were talking in school... Let's go, Soul's waiting for us."

* * *

The school was already full of people, everyone dressed nicely with their hair done. Liz was dazzling in her spring green dress. She was very beautiful. Her hair was tied to a bun, revealing the little earrings she had found in her drawer yesterday. They shone in the light when she danced with her boyfriend. Many jealous guys were eyeing her every now and then, trying to catch her alone. Patty was less stunning, but still had her own little group of admireres. Apparently the "nice guy from the strore" was no longer in the picture, because Patty danced and ate with at least five different boys. BlackStar, who didn't have a single lady lining up for him, concentrated solely on eating. Tsubaki danced a few songs with students from her class, but then joined her partner.

Maka, Soul and Crona had come together. Kid hid behind a corner, trying not to look suspicious. He wasn't in the mood for murderous stares. He didn't know what was up with Maka, he just hoped it would pass over time. He didn't want to ask about the "making Crona cry" thing she had warned him about, she would just glare and yell.  
He also hoped people would stop whispering every time they passed Kid. He had only been here for fifteen minutes, and already seven groups of people had started gossipping the second they saw Kid, standing alone or talking with Patty and Liz, doing anything. One classmate had looked like he wanted to ask something, but lost his nerve and walked away.  
If only Kid wasn't Shinigami's son, and thus the son of the founder of Shibusen, he would've left already. This place was suffocating. Kid munched on his food fouly, looking as unapproachable as possible. He didn't want anyone to come and talk to him. Someone messed with the sound system and changed the jazz to "Hymn to BlackStar: the Big Man who will surpass God". This happened several times during the evening.  
Kid couldn't rid himself of the gloomy mood even during his father's speech. He saw Crona looking everywhere but at him in the crowd, blushing nicely and hiding his mouth with his hand. He was wearing a suit that resembled Kid's usual attire, only it lacked the white patches and the skull collar. Under the black coat he had a dress shirt, the same color as his hair. Kid couldn't see his pants since the crowd mostly hid him. Kid also saw Maka, looking around, searching for Crona perhaps? They seemed to have gotten separated. Her dress was a rich green halterneck. Soul was wearing his usual pinstripe suit.

* * *

The next half an hour was spent by avoiding Maka and co. At first Kid simply walked around in the grand hall, but when Maka gained on him with a furious face, he escaped to a balcony and jumped down to the yard. He entered the school again through a small side door, and wished Maka thought she had lost him and didn't come looking for him. This part of the school was closed, so no one should be wandering around here anyway, so Kid could just stay here until the party ended.  
Kid heard footsteps behind him. He turned -  
"Kid-kun!"  
"Maka?"  
Ah, Soul Perception. He had forgotten.  
"I want you to dance with Crona."  
Dot dot dot dot. Ding.  
"What?"  
"Drag your ass up there! Waltz is the only dance Crona can dance and the song has been playing for some time. You're going to apologize for what you did."  
Maka's tone of voice suggested that Kid just obey without questions.

* * *

In the dancing hall, Crona was looking for Maka. The girl had disappeared suddenly, leaving Soul and Crona alone at the food table. Soul was stuffing his face with anything he could find, like he was on the verge of starving to death and nothing could fill him. Crona was too nervous to eat. When he had seen Soul and Maka dancing together, smiling, he knew he wanted to try it too. Maka had said that dancing makes a couple more close, and it allows you to touch the other. It's a way of showing affection without words or kisses, perfect for shy and awkward couples. And a dance is a great event to show someone that you liked them: instead of saying "I love you" or a milder variant, you can just ask them to dance with you and they get the message.  
There was no problem with dancing: although Crona could only dance waltz, nothing stopped him from learning quickly. If someone just led him firmly enough, he would quite quickly get a grasp of the dance. The problem was with _who_ Crona wanted to dance. Looking at Kid's direction brought in mind the almost-kiss they had shared in Crona's apartment. Crona had only realized what he had been doing when Kid had turned away, away from Crona and his lips, away to look at his weapons instead. He had felt so stupid, still felt, for thinking that Shinigami-kun had actually wanted to kiss him. How could he have thought he felt something like that towards Crona? After all his doubts and wondering and disbelief, he had lulled himself into believing that there could be something between them. He should've realized it was just impossible after all.. Maka had been wrong, Shinigami-kun didn't have a crush on Crona, he only wanted to be friends. Maybe there really had been a bug on his ice cream, maybe Crona's asymmetrical hair had bothered Shinigami-kun, maybe there had been a crease on Crona's dress, maybe it was just coincidence.

_That_ day, the day Crona's little daydream was shattered, right after Kid had left, Crona had curled up in Mr. corner and cried, cried like he had cried in that black room Medusa-sama had put him in.  
Maka had come in some time later, finding Crona in that sorry state. Her embraces and comforting words had slowly calmed Crona down, but he still couldn't say more than that Kid had been there earlier. It was too painful.  
No, Kid wouldn't dance with Crona.  
"Crona!" Maka's voice shouted. Crona saw his friend wave at him further away. He waved back. Maka hurried to his side and said that she had been in the ladies' room.  
"That's quite a constipation you have."  
"MAKA CHOP!"  
Soul was left howling in pain on the floor. Crona had been Maka chopped only once, and it had been an accident. He still remembered how much it hurt.  
"Oh, look, there's Kid! Hey, Kid, over here!" Maka yelled over the music and laughter. Kid seemed to hesitate a little, but come over anyway. He didn't want to be near Crona.  
"Hello, Crona. And Soul."  
Maka dragged the whining Soul up from the floor.  
"Remember: hit and run", she whispered in Crona's ear she went off to dance with Soul.  
AWWWWWWKWAAAAAAARD.  
"Umm... Would you like to dance?"  
Crona jumped and looked everywhere but at Kid. He felt an enormous blush coming to his face and there was no way to stop it. His fingers twitched and his stutter went up to eleven. He couldn't look at Kid's face, so he looked at his shoes instead.  
"O-o-o-k-ka-ka-kay... If y-y-y-you w-w-want..."  
Kid took a gentle hold of Crona's hand and lead him to the dance floor. His hand was warm and a little damp, but not unpleasantly. Crona's whole body trembled, he only hoped it wasn't too obvious. He didn't want to look scared, he wanted to look like him and Kid were okay. That nothing was wrong, that Crona hadn't thought Shinigami-kun had a crush on him. That he wasn't about to cry and flee from Kid-kun.  
Kid set his other hand on Crona's waist. The touch sent an electric shock through Crona's body and he squeeked.  
"It's okay", Kid assured. "Put your hand on my shoulder."  
Crona hastily lifted his hand, he was afraid otherwise he would escape. Now that he was in dancing position, he would have to stay until the song ended.  
Why was Kid-kun doing this? He hadn't even _looked_ at Crona the whole evening! He had made it clear he didn't want Crona as nothing more than a friend. Clutching tightly the fabric on Kid's shoulder, the pair started dancing a slow waltz.  
One, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three. Step back, step forth, step back, step forth.  
Kid's gentle hold, his breath.  
One, step forth, two, three, step back.  
His scent, his body.  
One, two, three.

His voice.

"I'm sorry, Crona..."  
Crona's breath stuck in his throat.  
"For that day. When we were in your home. I should've -"  
Crona didn't want to hear it. Kid was going to apologize for that day. He was going to say he hadn't meant it to look like he felt something for Crona. That he wanted to be just friends.  
Kid was hurting Crona. He was trying to tell Crona something he didn't want to hear, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt, _it hurt, it hurt.  
__If a bad man ever tries to do something to you... just run. Hit him and run.  
_Crona pulled his hand out of Kid's and punched him square in the jaw. He ran, ran as fast as he could, out of the school, across the empty streets, tears falling down his face, dropping on his clothes and the ground. He ran all the way home and cried himself to sleep.

* * *

Yeah, I know that they were dancing like Crona was a girl. I don't know how two guys are supposed to dance. And I make Maka look like such a jerk:( Just as **Rawr **said.  
**Cronalust:** I think I'll skip getting naked:D My horrid bad-skinned body would just make everyone faint. I could go for some tea though.  
Alright, the next chapter is the last one! So sad;( Maybe I should make an omake?


	10. Light switch

I accidentally set my alarm to go off an hour earlier than I was supposed to -_-' I wanted to get up at 8, but instead i set it at 7. Go figure. So I decided to finally give up on editing this chapter, which I really hate and am not at all happy with, and update it. Nothing that I can do can fix it.  
That said, some(probably most) of you are going to hate the end, it's quite an asspull, really. A deus ex machina. You're _really _going to hate it. Listen to some nice music on the background, it might soften the blow.  
**I do not own Soul Eater**, as you all know.

* * *

**Light switch**

"I thought I said something about making Crona cry", Maka said, her voice nothing but ice and sharp edges. It crackled with poison.  
"I was just trying to apologize! He punched me before I could explain."  
Crona may not have looked strong, but _boy_ did he have one hell of a right hook. Kid had almost lost some teeth.  
A ring of people had gathered around Kid and Maka after Crona had run out.  
"What the fuck are you staring at?" Maka yelled at them. Everyone suddenly had a craving for dessert.  
"Listen, Maka! I really didn't mean to hurt him, it just happened."  
"_Just happened?_ A r- _that_ doesn't _just happen!_ Did you even think at all? You're supposed to be her _friend!_ Don't you understand what you did to her? She might never get over it! As if she wasn't traumatized enough already!"  
Maka huffed. Her cheeks were red with fury. Her eyes burned with wild fire.  
"Tomorrow, I'll come for your soul."  
Maka spun around and walked out surprisinly calm and collected, probably going after Crona.  
This couldn't be just about trying to kiss Crona. Maka was a reasonable person, there had to be something to this that Kid didn't know about.  
"Soul? What did Maka get so angry about?"  
"I told her it was impossible, but she didn't listen. She's very protective of Crona, you know."  
"I do know. What does she know about this affair that I have no idea of?"  
Soul hrpmhed and guided Kid further from the other people to a quieter corner. He checked that no one was within hearing range and lowered his voice.  
"She thinks you raped Crona."  
"WHAT?"  
"Shh shh. You want people to hear? Anyway, one day Maka went to bring her some leftover food, and found her crying in a corner. She said that you had been there, and nothing more. Then on Monday, Maka heard some girls gossipping about you and Crona. One said that you had raped Crona and that was why you couldn't look at each other anymore."  
Oh God. Now Kid understood. The reason why Maka had suddenly gotten hostile, why she was glaring and threatening him.  
"I would never rape anyone!"  
How could Maka even think he would do something like that? Was she really that suspicious, couldn't she believe in her friends?  
"I know. Maka knows too, really. She'll understand when you explain. She'll apologize for thinking that the rape thing was true. She just gets a little... enthusiastic when Crona is involved."  
"Hymn to BlackStar" started playing again, interrupting the slow dance song and making people groan.  
"I'm going to kill that brat..."  
Kid had no idea how BlackStar had recorded the hymn Soul was forced to write to him, but it was just his style. Even more so was playing it to the entire city.  
"You'd better go after them and explain things before it gets worse."  
Yes that would probably be for the best. This was like a bad teen drama show already, no need to let it continue like that.

* * *

Kid made a few wrong turns on the way, but eventually found the right door. He wondered if they would even open it, the clock must have been well over eleven. Kid had left the party at twenty to eleven, and it had taken over half an hour to find Crona's apartment. He knocked anyway, hoping to settle things with him and Maka before they got more out of hand. If Maka opened the door, he would have get right into business. She wouldn't give him time to beat around the bush and ready them to hear what he had to say. She wouldn't let him in.  
If it was Crona who opened the door... What should he do then?  
"Don't worry Crona, I'll drive them away", Kid heard from inside. The handle turned and the door opened.  
"_You?_ We have noth-"  
"I didn't rape Crona."  
Maka freezed on the spot with a suspicious look in her eyes. Her grip on the handle tightened.  
"That rumor wasn't true. I never touched him."  
Kid could hear Crona sniffing in the apartment, behind the bedroom door. It was cracked open.  
"I was only going to kiss him, but I didn't do that either. Liz and Patty can prove it. Crona, I'm sorry! I didn't realize it would hurt you! I promise I won't do anything to you."  
The sniffing continued, but there was also another, muffled sound.  
"Maka, believe me. I'd never do anything to hurt him."  
Maka eyed him only little less suspicious. She looked Kid straight in the eye, to see if he was lying or being honest.  
"You didn't... rape Crona?"

"No!"  
Kid had never been more honest. He didn't avert his eyes, Maka was the first to do that. Her grip on the door handle loosened and her expression softened.  
"Is Crona a boy or a girl?"  
What kind of a question was that? It had nothing to do with the situation. Was Maka pulling some kind of trick here?  
"... A boy?"  
Kid didn't understand what Maka achieved by asking this, but she smiled and opened the door wide. It had no doubt been an important question.  
"No. She's a girl."  
A girl.  
_But what about her periods?  
_Maka chuckled.  
"That face prooves you haven't seen her naked."  
Maka stepped aside and let Kid in.  
"Thank you."  
Maka smiled and bowed a little.  
"I'm sorry for doubting you. I should've believed you're a good man."  
"Why didn't you ask if it was true?"  
"Would you have answered truthfully if it had been?"  
...Good point. Most people don't want to admit their friends that they raped someone. Even less another friend.  
"And... I was afraid of finding out... I didn't want a friend to be revealed a rapist. And I couldn't think of another explanation."  
The bedroom door closed with a sharp click. Maka knocked on it gently.  
"Crona... Kid came to make peace with you. Will you let him in?"  
Not a sound was heard from behind the door, excluding soft sobs. Crona was probably hugging a pillow and hiding her face in it. She was prone to doing that.  
"He says he's sorry. He'll explain whatever it is that happened between you two. After this you two could go back to normal."  
A long silence.  
Then finally a shaky "Okay" and the sound of moving. Maka gave Kid a thumbs-up and a warm smile.  
"You can do it."  
Maka moved to the kitchen and sat on one of the chairs.  
"I'm coming in now", Kid warned Crona and opened the door.  
The room was small, just as the others. There was only a one-person bed with polka dot sheets and a gray cupboard. The lonely window was even smaller than the ones in the kitchen and the living room, and they had dark blue curtains drawn over it. Crona was curled in the corner in the bed's foot end, holding a plain white pillow in her arms, hugging it like her life depended on it, or trying to hide behind it. The light was dimmer than in the kitchen. Crona was still wearing shoes.  
"Crona..."  
A shiver went trough Crona's body and she hiccupped. Kid closed the door behind him. It clicked sharply. Kid saw it best not to get closer to Crona, she was scared enough as it was. She had really suffered from this ordeal.  
"I'm really sorry for trying to kiss you. I don't know what came over me. And I... I didn't realize it would upset you that much. I thought you liked me too."  
A loud sniff from Crona. Kid sighed and tried to think what he could say to fix this.  
"It's okay with me if we stay just friends. I can restrain myself. I won't force you to do anything you don't want."  
"N-n-no..." Chrona sniffed. She drew a deep, shaky, breath. "I-I-I.. I... I too, like... you...So... it's okay..."  
Crona really had liked Kid? Then why had she punch him?  
"W-when you turned away... I th-th-thought you... And in the dance, I thought you were g-going to say...that you didn't want me..."  
...Well, when you thought about, it wasn't that surpising. Crona's life had been full of cruelty and the only time her mother had acted nicely, she had made Crona betray her only friend. She was used to disappointments, she expected them. The four years she had spent in Shibusen had helped a lot, but she still couldn't fully trust peace and sweet faces.

This was incredibly hard for Crona. Finding out that Kid really did like her and wasn't trying push her away. She didn't have the guts to look up. Confessing her crush on Kid was hard and nervewracking, even when she knew Kid answered her feelings. Unconsciously she was still expecting to see a mocking smile on his face. She heard a rustle of clothes, two steps coming towards her. She felt his hand on her head. She tightened her grip on the pillow and held her breath. Not that she could've breathed anymore anyway, her face was too deep in the pillow.  
"There's no need to hide your face", Kid said. Crona could hear the smile in his voice.  
"It's okay to like another person, especially when they like you back. There's nothing embarrassing about it."  
"I'm – hic – scared... that you're lying..."  
A patient breath.  
"I'm not lying. If you look me in the eye you can see I'm telling the truth."  
"Are you sure...?"  
"Yes."  
"...Okay..."  
Crona carefully loosened her grip and saw Kid kneeling down in front of her. He was smiling gently, there was not an ounce of malice or contempt in him. Crona looked sheepishly in to his golden eyes.  
"I love you."  
Crona hiccupped. Kid chuckled and said it was an odd answer to the phrase.  
She had seen no lie in those eyes. He was serious.  
"Let's wipe those tears away."  
Kid took a handkerchief from his pocket, folded it in to a clean square and gave it to Crona. She wiped her red eyes and blowed her nose. She figured Kid wouldn't want it back so she threw it in the bin under the bed. Kid took her hands in his own and helped her up. The pillow fell on the floor silently.  
"Would you... mind if I kissed you right now?"  
Crona shook her head, unsure of what her voice might do. Kid let go of her hands and placed his on her waist instead. As he got closer, Crona closed her couldn't really describe what it felt like. It was soft, for sure, but not much else. The kiss was incredibly light, just a pressing of lips together. But in the emotional level it was anything but. It felt like good electricity. It felt like she wanted nothing more, that this was all she needed right now. That the darkness in her soul was driven away with a flick of a switch.

* * *

Uggh, I still don't like this chapter. It's just horrible.  
Some assorted explanations: Crona's periods probably never started, she's so skinny. If your body's fat percentage is too low, that can happen. Once you gain some weight, they start.  
And the reason Crona wears a suit for the dance, not a dress, is purely plot-induced. We wouldn't have gotten the delicious loved-by-everyone deus ex machina -ending if Kid had seen her wearing a dress. Oh, and watch episode 31. Crona doesn't wear a dress.  
**Lilac Rose6:** Well... You only had to wait 3 days. Does this mean I won't get killed?  
**Anonymous:** (Wow, that was along review!) Yeah, I also think that Kid is usually made too experienced. That was the reason I tried making him a little more awkward. I didn't do well, did I? -_-' And about the title... Well, it really wasn't a result of five seconds of thinking, or even five minutes, but more like five _days_. And it doesn't really have any profound meaning to it... Not that I didn't try! But I just suck at coming up with titles! But I think you made a point. You can really think of it like that... Now I hate the title a little less than before. But that doesn't mean I won't change it in the future!:D

Thank you for everyone who read the story and especially for those who reviewed, you are all lovely! I also love the people who favorited and alerted, you warm my heart. I bow to you.


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